Brand New Day Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Brand New Day Blu-ray Movie Review

Australian musical hits mostly sour notes

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 1, 2011

There’s a volatile amount of screen energy and comedic ambition radiating from the flashy, idiosyncratic Australian musical, “Brand New Day” (originally titled “Bran Nue Dae” for its international theatrical release), but very little of it translates into approachable screen whimsy, capable of transporting viewers to a lush land of romantic longing and slapstick escapism. “Brand New Day” is frightfully fearless but exhaustively schizophrenic. It’s a dynamite stick of a musical comedy providing a difficult sit for anyone unable to lock into the film’s bizarre dedication to bootleg turns of plot and spastic characterization. Frankly, the whole colorful, toe-tapping, racially provocative endeavor starts to feel like a dental drill after the first act fades away.

The year is 1969, and young Aboriginal teen Willie (Rocky McKenzie) has fallen in love with Rosie (Jessica Mauboy), a feisty girl who dreams of ditching her small town prospects for a soulfully satisfying singing career. When her chance for stardom arrives via a hunky musician, Willie is immediately scared off, racing back to the comfort of the seminary, run by the indomitable Father Benedictus (Geoffrey Rush). Slowly coming to the realization that his place is not with God but with his own deep desires, Willie breaks out of school, heading into the wilds of Australia, hoping to return home to his beloved town of Broome to rethink his life and claim his longtime love. With the help of alcoholic Uncle Tadpole (Ernie Dingo) and a pair of nervous German hippies (Tom Budge and Missy Higgins) touring Australia, Willie begins the arduous process of outback travel, dreaming of Rosie’s tender touch and golden throat along the way.

Adapted from an adored, highly decorated Australian musical, “Brand New Day” will certainly have its ardent supporters. Those eager to plunge into the deep end of this nonsensical musical ocean will have a blast slurping up the Skittles-colored cinematography and cheerful performances, super-soakered across the screen by director Rachel Perkins, who clearly has some form of askew vision in mind -- a Technicolor-stained itch that must be scratched. It’s a jubilant effort, never lacking in smiles and scenes upon scenes of happy feet, with a healthy dose of gritty Aboriginal culture injected into the story to give it a distinct cultural fingerprint, thus allowing for some sense of needed identity. How easily that material will translate to American shores remains to be seen, but the film truly makes an effort to please. There’s something appealing about this jubilant attempt at a giddy musical.

Personally, I found it impossible to stay invested in the rainbow-fueled, slightly cheeky shenanigans (parents, keep in mind the opening number graphically details sexual penetration) for very long, which seem to lean heavily on the original stage show’s theatrical charm instead of churning up its own magic for the big screen launch. “Brand New Day” is an impossibly thin story, barely tended to by a clearly distracted Perkins, who brushes right on by extended time with her colorful characters to hurry over to the next musical number or wacky bit of comedy. It’s like a 77-minute-long highlight reel of events, not a cohesive dramatic hustle that brings the view in tighter, growing intimate with this bunch.

Jumping heatedly from scene to scene, the film erodes into a hopelessly distant affair, barely making an emotional dent, which is a shame considering how much the material looks to root itself in the difficult game of love. Rocky and Rosie aren’t a tremendously convincing couple, not helped in the least by McKenzie’s slumbering performance -- he delivers plausible juvenile awkwardness and slack-jawed reactions, but rarely reveals a pulse. There’s simply nobody to root for in “Brand New Day,” with increasingly broad displays of slapstick (e.g. Tadpole using a snake skin to replace a car timing belt) soon becoming unbearable and unwieldy, dangerously prolonging the inevitable.

Also something of a disappointment are the film’s numerous songs, most of which are tuneless, saggy numbers that fail to spark the feature to life. The cast does a commendable job selling the soundtrack (Mauboy, an “Australian Idol” finalist, is a gifted vocalist), but their efforts are often in vain, belting out pop, blues, and soul without much lasting effect. Rarely is there a meaty chorus or clarity of theme. The songs are animated, but directionless.

Brand New Day Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For those interested in explosive HD color, I'd like to direct you to the "Brand New Day" Blu-ray. The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation is incredibly vivid, bringing all the singing and dancing to life with spectacular attention to stable, extraordinary hues. Working with sun-blasted exteriors and jubilantly decorated sets, the image practically jumps off the screen, displaying amazing yellows, reds, and greens, sustaining the lighthearted atmosphere Perkins is striving hard to articulate. Skintones are equally cared for, surveying various races and degrees of sunburn without any feeling of artificiality. Clarity is direct with a spotless print, downright perfect with facial close-ups, seizing such outstanding textures and character (pores are practically a supporting character), while fabric nuances on costuming also make an impression. Environmental changes are also perceived, with sand, sea, and summertime particulars easily read. Shadow detail is occasionally on the solid side, but only during difficult evening adventures.

Brand New Day Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Obviously, there's going to be some sonic firepower with a musical, but considering the modest nature of the production, I was impressed with the 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix. The musical numbers sound startlingly fresh and substantial, assisted by a satisfactory deep feel of surround support, great with chorus numbers and dance movement, which move subtly around the room. Voices are large and lovely, richly emotive and endearingly unsteady, blasting with a slightly rounded presence, not just coldly frontal, but not entirely circular. Accents and attitudes are navigated well, with nothing stepped on or obscured. Scoring is hearty and supported with low-end response, providing the requisite musical force with a crisp, clean edge. Atmospherics are pronounced but charming, contributing to the comedic mood, successfully blended into the action, though limited in rear placement.

Brand New Day Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material included on this disc.

Brand New Day Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I would never label "Brand New Day" as lazy, just an increasingly exasperating jumble. It's a mess that will likely find a receptive audience open to anything that sings, dances, and uses a dead snake in common automotive repair. Those with more strict ideas on how a musical comedy should sway would be well advised to steer clear of it. It's a cheery creation, but wildly off target for most of its brief, but oddly overlong run time.